Electric torch



July 6, 1943.- w. c. cRlMMlNs ELECTRIC TORCH Filed Sept. 21, 1959 I... www/WMV..

Patented July 6, 1943 eUNrrE'Df-fffsnrrS PATENr i jzzaslzfV K ELECTRIC TORCH william c. cammina Marion, 1nd,', assigr w Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, jIll., a coi' Vporationo f'NeW York i f l n Application september 21, 1939, serial No. 295,946 2 Claims. icl. 24o- 7.55)

My invention `relates to electric torches of the portable, self-contained battery operating type. My invention is especially adapted for V.torches or lamps of this type designed for'mounting on a Vehicle such as a bicycle, automobile, or the like,.although it is also `adapted for hand use.

A particular object of my invention is to provide an article of the type referred to which will be simple and inexpensive in construction, having a minimum of parts, which .is .quickly assembled and disassembled, which is strong and secure when the parts are in assembled relation, and which in general will be entirely satisfactory for the purposes desired.

Another object is to provide a device of the type referred to which may be used alternatively` as a fog light or headlight.'v Y

Various other objects and advantages wil-l'suggest themselves to those skilled in t'hettrt..

Referring .now to the drawing forming apart of this specication and illustrating ,a'epreferred embodiment of my invention: L

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal View, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a .device `embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. `1

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the inside fof'one part of the casing; and. n

Fig. 4 is a plan view offthe other part of the casing and parts assembled therewith.

The lamp or torch illustrated comprises a casing formed essentially of two substantially similar interlocking parts Ia and Ib. In the embodiment shown, the casing is of sheet metal and is roughly cylindrical or ellipsoidal or cigar shaped, except for the end which receives the optical unit indicated generally by the numeral I5. It will be understood that the casing may be strictly cylindrical, being shown as tapered for esthetic reasons.

The part I a comprises a semi-ellipsoidal sheet metal member in the bottom of which is secured, as by rivets I6 or the like, a bracket I8 having a more or less centrally disposed U-shaped portion I9 which is secured to the shell I0a and which serves to space the rest of the bracket therefrom. Secured to the bracket I8, as by spot welding or the like, is a resilient longitudinally disposed sleeve 2I, the intermediate portion of which may be cut out as at 22 to increase the resilience thereof as wellas to save weight. The bracket I8 terminates in a rearwardly transverselyk extending spring clip 24 which makes electrical" contact with one of the batteries B and is grounded to the casingla, Fcrwardly, said bracket terminates inan upstanding leg 25. :This leg 2 5 serves to -retainan electric bulb 26 andthe partsv immediately associated therewith, including 'a sleeve 21 into which the bulb 26 screws, th'isgsleeve having electrical contact with the bracket I8,: A reversely bent spring contact clip V2 8 formed of conductingy material is retained inl insulated relation on the bracket I8 by means .of a rivet 3 0 or the like, the clip 2.8 establishing electrical contact with a switch r35 through con.- ductor 3.6. Y

The switch .-35, also secured the casing I a for vclosing the electrical circuit, may be `iof standard' or other suitable construction; and is .electrically connected; tothe lamp -asj by conductors .39, 3 9', the lamp socket being grounded to ythe bracket vI3.-y u 1 Securedto'thezbracket 'I'8 asqby means '0f rivets lorthe likeis a. .lil- Shaped bracket 40, the web portion yof whichl is apellill'led toreceive areector 42 formed o f polished metal or .other suitable material, said reflector hav-ing ajfl-anged collar 43 whereby it is retained uin the bracket 40.

The polished portion 45 ,of the reflector is preferably eccentrically arranged, as best seen in Fig. 41, so `that with Vthe bulb 2.6 tilted l slightly downwardly, the light beam Willgbe -reilected Adown-v wardly even though the Ytorch :body'maybe `mounted horizontally.

L-shaped slide member 41 is slidably secured, as by rivets 48 or the like, to the bracket 40, said slide member being slotted as at 49, which slot serves as a track for the rivets 4B. The slide member 41 terminates in an upstanding flange 50 which cooperates with a manipulating member in the portion I0b of the casing about to be described. The slider 41 is apertured to receive the bulb socket 21 and a sleeve 52 is secured to said slider so as to be movable longitudinally into and out of a position where it will encircle the bulb 26, as seen best in Fig. 1. It will be understood that when the slider 41 is moved rearwardly, the sleeve 52 will be retracted from a position encompassing the bulb. The sleeve 52 is formed of transparent Celluloid or other suitable material which will serve to diffuse the light emitted from the bulb so that when it is in operative relation to the bulb, as shown in Fig. l, the light serves as a fog lamp. The forward portion of the casing Illa is indented to form a flange 53 and a slot 54 is provided adjacent the base of said flange for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

The casing Illb is substantially similar n shape bicycle `or in'any other suitable place, a 'strip r80 being provided if desired.

lens 60. The rivets 58 also retain the bead 56. This lens may be of any suitable material but is preferably of a substantially non-shatterable transparent plastic such as a cellulose ester or' like synthetic material, and has aY flange 6| extending within the ring 59 and retained by iingers 63 which are also secured by the rivets 58.

Slidably mounted in a slot 61 in the casing lb isV a manipulating member 65 carrying, as by means of a rivet 66, a yoke 68 which straddles the flange 50 of the sliderY 41. A yoke-like member l0-is interposed between the member 68 and the manipulating relement 65, this yoke .10 having oppositely disposed flanges 'Il on either face of the slot 61 for retaining-the parts in slidably assembled relation in theslot 61. i From the above, it is believed that the assembly of the devicevwill be readily understood. Electrical dry cell batteries B, B are disposed within the cradle formed by bracket I8 and sleeve 2|, being resiliently retained therein by means of the sleeve and the finger 24, the foremost battery engaging the resilient contact member v28, and the rearmost battery being grounded by contact with finger 24.' Illfhe part I0b is assembled with the part v Illa 'by first engaging the tongue 13 in the slot 54 and then snapping the two parts together inthe position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the parts being firmly retained by means of a screw 15 at the end thereoiA reinforcing strip 16 may be secured'to the partla if desired for giving aflrm seat to the screw.

A retaining clamp 18' may be secured to the portion lUa as by screws 1-9 or the likelwhereby the lamp may be mounted on the frame of a buffer It will thus be seen that I have provided an extremely simple and compact-unit which may be produced quite inexpensively, so far as regards labor and materials, being quickly assembled and taken apart for replacing batteries and repairs.

The parts which are frequently found loose in articles of this type, such as, batteries, lens, etc., are firmly retained in my device by simple and inexpensive means, and upon separation of thecasing theseparts will not spill out. Only a single screw is used for keeping the parts assembled, thus making for quick assembly.

Although I have described my invention as especially applicable to a bicycle light, I do not intend my invention to be so limited, as it is equally applicable for use on other vehicles or for hand'use.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and, hence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific form shown or uses mentioned except to the extent indicated in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted as broadly. as the state of the art will permit.

I claim: 1. Anelectric torchcomprising a pair of detachable substantially semi-cylindrical interlock ing casing members, and means for positively retaining said members in assembled relation, one of said members having means therein for retaining a battery and also having an electric light system including a lamp, a diffusing ele- -ment associated with the lamp and slidable into la reflector, battery holder and lighting system including a lamp mounted in. and movable as a unit with the other shell, a diifuser movable into .and out of cooperative relation with said lens and also movable as a unit with the second shell,

`means detachably hinging said frame to said second shell for enabling said shells to be swung into and out of operative assembly, and means at the other end of said casing for detachably securing said shells .in operative assembly.

WILLIAM C..CRIMMINS. 

